A character win when such a game was needed most to put a winning stamp on a great second part of the season.
1 — The Leafs are 35-32-10 and boy does that feel good.
2 — Dion just takes the puck into the Sabres defensive zone, hmhmh, bam – goal! It was a laser beam of a blast but you don—t see Miller giving up those too often. Also, when rubber hits him he doesn—t stay down as long as he did on that Phaneuf bomb, then again, our captain—s shot isn—t your average NHL shot.
3 — This team is 20-13-6 during the last 39 games, puts losing streaks into perspective doesn—t it?
4 — Don—t look now but Nazem Kadri has arrived, I know we—ve all seen his fantastic work around the net and in the corners tonight, especially on that 2nd Leafs goal but what impressed me the most was how much he improved his defensive game compared to that last stint he had earlier in the year. Also HOLY HELL what a play on the MacArthur goal. Shoulder fake at the blueline, dangles in and has great vision to set up Mac for the goal.
5 — Darryl Boyce scores another HUGE goal for the Leafs, his 5th of the season — I know either Boyce or Crabb is probably done after this year but God I don—t want to see them go. Both guys worked their asses off to stay in the lineup and if Burke—s words of earning the jersey are true, they should be given another crack next season. Boyce is +10 on the season, how about that stat?
6 — If Gunnarsson didn—t give the puck away like that on the Niedermayer goal I wouldn—t have believed I was watching an important Leafs game, it—s never easy is it? On a side note, if Joe Bowen calls somebody Gary Lupul, his name IS Gary Lupul.
7 — Grabo doing what Grabo did during this entire season and that—s score and play like a machine. His 29th goal of the season blew the roof of the ACC! I don—t think he thinks that Kessel is one dimensional. MacArthur made a great outlet pass to get the ball, ehm puck rolling on that play.
8 — Burke is convinced Reimer is the real deal, are you? You should be. You really should be. 31 saves for the W, but big timely saves for the confidence everyone needed to get on his bandwagon. He even does ballet on occasion, yeah yeah you know what I mean.
9 — That—s it! I hereby declare all Leaf PPs until the end of the current season get declined in exchange for 3 Buffalo losses. So NHL, do we have a deal?
10 — Leafs played with desperation, we were aggressive on the puck, won a lot of puck battles and put the Sabres on their heels for most of this game in THE game of the season, one that will probably define this Leafs team for years to come. Clarke MacArthur, Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Nazem Kadri, Joffrey Lupul, Darryl Boyce, James Reimer, Mike Brown all had a fantastic game showing tons of effort and skill. Like I said before, that is much more important than making the playoffs this year. This team makes me feel proud to be a Leafs fan.
